Disposable BBQs ‘should be banned’ to prevent further devastating wildfires

Posted on:April 25th, 2019byMark Hall

As wildfire
races through even more acres of British countryside this week, devastating the
beautiful Ikley Moor, calls are being made to ban disposable barbecues to
prevent further damage.

The ancient
moorland, in West Yorkshire, saw two fires over the Bank Holiday weekend –
despite laws having been in place since 1900 prohibiting citizens from having
fires on the moor. Firefighters tackled the blazes for several days to control
the damage, but a number of eyewitnesses were appalled to report that there were
still thrill-seekers holding barbecues in the area.

Local
business and recycling & waste disposal experts, BusinessWaste.co.uk, have
called for the disposable barbecues – often costing as little as two or three
pounds – to be banned.

There are a number of
downsides to using the cheap grills – not least of which is their throwaway
nature, which (combined with their cheap price) means they perpetuate the
harmful ‘single-use’ culture which threatens the environment. They also contain
charcoal, which is normally unsustainably sourced, contributing to the
‘desertification’ of forest, and cannot be recycled or composted, meaning that
for each one sold in the UK each year – estimated at over a million – there is
new waste committed to landfill.

Mark Hall, Communications Director of
BusinessWaste.co.uk, said

“One supermarket chain alone sold 300,000 disposable barbecues last year –
that means there are likely over a million of them sold each year, each one
contributing to ruining forests for charcoal and adding to piles of waste in
landfill. While most people will dispose of them safely, even a small
percentage failing to do so could have drastic consequences for the local flora
and fauna. Banning them wouldn’t mean the end of the great British barbecue – but
it would mean the end of a throwaway attitude to something which can do real
harm.”

The business has
called for ‘swift and decisive’ action to be taken by some of the biggest
retailers in the Ilkley area and across the UK, including Tesco, Booths and Co-op.
BusinessWaste.co.uk say that a move to immediately ban the sale of these items
will reduce anti-social behaviour, cut down on littering, and show a real
commitment to improving both their local and national green credentials.

To date no response
has been provided.

Other areas have taken
similar steps, with Moors Valley in Dorset banning disposable barbecues in 2018
following two enormous moors fires in Greater Manchester and Lancashire.

Mark Hall concluded:

“It’s truly heartbreaking to see huge areas of iconic British countryside damaged due to the thoughtless and selfish actions of a few – and we would strongly urge retailers to reconsider selling disposable BBQs, which are very often the source of wildfires.

“Being based a
stone’s throw from this week’s fire on Ilkey Moor, we’ve seen first hand the
devastation that can be done, and we are indebted to the incredible, tireless
fire service who have been ensuring nobody was hurt.”

“As amazing as the emergency services have
been, we shouldn’t have to rely on already-stretched public services to tackle
completely preventable damage. Items which are not only environmentally
unfriendly due to their packaging and disposal, but also repeatedly cause
enormous, irreparable damage to our countryside should be banned without
question, and it is our duty to champion that cause.”

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As wildfire
races through even more acres of British countryside this week, devastating the
beautiful Ikley Moor, calls are being made to ban disposable barbecues to
prevent further damage.
The ancient
moorland, in West Yorkshire, saw two fires over the Bank Holiday weekend –
despite laws havi… Read more »